Process of and means for spinning rayon thread



June 2, 1936. c HUTTINGE-R 2,042,529

PROCESS OF AND MEANS FOR SPINNING RAYON THREAD Filed Dec. 13, 1932 2Sheets-Sheet 1 C. A. HUTTINGER June 2, 1936.

PROCESS OF AND MEANS FOR SPINNING RAYON THREAD Filed Dec. 13, 1932 2Sheets-Sheet 2 KWI Q K0 141152 Patented June 2, 1936 UNITED STATESPROCESS OF AND MEANS FOR SPINNING RAYON THREAD Charles A. Huttinger,

Lakewood, Ohio, assignor to Acme Rayon Corporation, a corporation ofOhio Cleveland, Ohio,

Application December 13, 1932,, Serial No. 646,993

16Claims.

My improvements particularly relate to a process of spinning rayonthread, and means therefor, by which the deleterious action of chemicalson the rayon spinning apparatus and the spun product, and particularlythe action of salts thereon, is prevented. It is well known that thematerials utilized in the making and spinning of rayon contain orproduce various salts, particularly sodium sulphate, which crystallizeupon the rayon product and upon the apparatus by which the product isspun or centrifugally collected. This necessitates frequent stopping ofthe spinning machines to permit a washing thereof to remove thesedeposits. Also, because of the deposits, greater power is required torun the spinning machines. Further, in the case of pot spinning, the lidof the pot is prevented by these deposits from fitting down as tightlyto the body of the pot as it would if these deposits were not present.My improvements obviate these operating difficulties and increase theeconomy of operation. I illustrate my improvements by reference to potspinning in which the thread is collected in the usual cake form uponthe inside wall of the pot by centrifugal action.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detailcertain steps and means illustrating my improved process andexemplifying my improved apparatus, such steps and means illustrating,however, only a few of the various series of steps by which my improvedmethod may be worked and but two of the various sets of means in whichthe improved apparatus may be embodied.

In said annexed drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section through a pot chamber, therealso being shown a spinning pot, a rayon cake in process, and means forrotating the pot, the pot being shown partly in elevation. This view istaken in the plane indicated by the line l-l, Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a plan section, taken in the plane indicated by the line2-2, Figure 1, the view showing one complete pot chamber and itscontained spinning pot; as also, a fragmentary portion of a second potchamber and its contained pot, the cover of the pot in the latterchamber being shown partly broken away and the pot therebeneath beingshown in section; and

Figure 3 is an axial section, upon an enlarged scale, of a liquidconduit and a cooperating spraynozzle forming part of theimprovedapparatus and utilized in the working of the improved process,the view being taken in the plane indicated by the line 3-3, Figure 2.

Referring to the annexed drawings in which the same parts are indicatedby the same respective numbers in the different views, a battery ofrayon pot chambers is suggested by the numbers l and 2, Figure 2, withineach of which is mounted a spinning pot 3 which is rapidly rotated, in amanner well known to those skilled in the art, by a motor 4, and intowhich when so rotated is led the thread 5 which has been set up in aprecipitating bath. This thread 5 is collected in the form of a cake 6upon the inside wall of the pot 3 by centrifugal action and thereciprocating movements of the thread-conducting members 2I, Figure 1.The pot 3 is provided with a plurality of ports 1 through which liquidfrom the spun thread is thrown from the pot 3 during the spinningaction, this liquid flowing over the inclined floor I! to a suitabledrain. The pot 3 is provided with a cover 8 which is securely fastenedto the pot during the spinning action.

My improvements consist in spraying into the pot chamber l outside ofthe pot 3 any suitable liquid, preferably water, which will hold insolution the salts which tend to crystallize on the spinning machineryand obtain access to the product, such liquid spray also dissolving anysuch salts which may have gathered on the machinery. I effect theseresults by creating a mist of the salt-dissolving liquid in the potchamber I which, when water is used as the salt-dissolving medium,results in a highly humid atmos phere in the pot chamber l. Any suitableliquid may be utilized which will hold the deleterious salts in the potchamber in solution. Weak sulphuric acid will serve as such liquid,under certain conditions. Also steam will serve,,under certainconditions, by forming dilute sulphuric acid and thus preventing theformation of the deleterious salts.

In the event the deleterious salts have already gathered on the spinningmachinery, my improved proces's speedily dissolves them and thereafterprevents further deposition of salts. In the event none of these saltshave been deposited upon the machinery at the time my process isapplied, the process keeps in solution the salts thereafter presented bythe thread-gathering operation and prevents their deposition upon theapparatus within the pot chamber I.

In the forms of the invention illustrated, the aforesaid mist is createdeither by spraying the dissolving liquid against the outside surface ofthe wall of the rapidly rotating pot, as shown at the left hand side ofFigure 2, the creation of the mist or the vaporizing of the spray beingassisted by the circulation which is set up within the pot chamber andthe spinning pot, by thecentrifugal action, as indicated by-the arrowsin Figures 1 and 2, the centrifugal action also preventing the sprayedliquid from entering the pot 3 through the ports 1 thereof; or the mistis created by projecting the spray of salt-dissolving liquid against thewall of the pot chamber, as shown at the right hand side of Figure 2,and thus producing the mist by the breaking up of the spray by impact,and by the natural circulation set up in the pot chamber by the spinningaction. Any other suitable method of creating the mist ofsalt-dissolving liquid in the pot chamber may be utilized.

Besides dissolving the deleterious salts, or preventing their formation,the dissolving liquid will reduce the amount of hydrogen sulphide andother gases in the pot chamber to the extent of the solubility of suchgases in the dissolving water or in the chemically-treated dissolvingsolution. If the sphere of action of the dissolving liquid is limited tothat part of the pot chamber exteriorly of the spinning pot, an alkalinespray can be utilized which will dissolve an of the hydrogen sulphide.

For the purpose of furnishing the salt-dissolving liquid in spray form,I show by way of illustration, a header conduit 9 provided with branchesin, preferably formed of lead pipe, each branch l0 intersecting andprojecting through an externally-threaded bushing I I, Figure 3, havingfinger pieces Ila and engaged by a nut l2 intersected by a spun nozzlemember I: secured in the nut II by an inner end flange ll. The nut I2 isformed with finger pieces l2a. An end flange 20 is formed on the branchconduit l0. Interposed between the flange 20 and the flange H are ascreen l6 and an annular packing ring l8. The flange ll, packing l8 andscreen l6 are locked between the end flange 20 and a shoulder l9 formedin the nut l2. The flange 20 also serves to hold the spraying device onthe branch conduit ll. This spun nozzle member is is formed with a smallport IS in its outer projecting face through which the salt-removingliquid is sprayed, as indicated in Figure 2.

What I claim is:

1. Improvements in processes of spinning rayon thread consisting incentrifugally collecting the thread in a rotating spinning pot andprojecting a spray of a salt-disolving solution against the outsidesurface of the wall of the spinning pot.

2. Improvements in processes of spinning rayon thread consisting incentrifugally collecting the thread in a rotating spinning pot andprojecting a spray of asodium-sulphate-dissolving liquid against theoutside surface of the wall of the spinning pot.

3. Improvements in processes of spinning rayon thread consisting incentrifugally collecting the thread in a rotating spinning pot andprojecting a water spray against the outside surface of the wall of thespinning pot.

4. Apparatus for spinning rayon thread comprising a pot chamber, aperforated spinning pot therein and means fer-rotating the pot, meansfor conducting a thread to the pot and collecting the same therein, andmeans for discharging a liquid spray into the chamber outside of thepot.

5. Apparatus for spinning rayon thread comprising a pot chamber, aperforated spinning pot therein and means for rotating the same, meansfor conducting a thread to said pot and collecting the same therein incake form, and means for projecting a liquid spray against the innersurface of the wall of the pot chamber.

6. Apparatus for spinning rayon thread comprising a pot chamber, aperforated spinning pot therein and means for rotating the same, meansfor conducting a thread to said pot and collecting the same therein incake form, and means for ing the,.-crystallization of salts contained inthe liquid coming from the spinning pot by subjecting such liquid to theaction of a water mist in the spinning pot chamber outside of thespinning pot, said mist being sufllciently heavy to hold the salts insolution.

9. Improvements in processes of spinning rayon thread by the centrifugalmethod of collecting the same in a spinning pot, consisting inpreventing the crystallization of salts contained in the liquid comingfrom the spinning pot by subjecting such liquid to the action of a humidatmosphere in the spinning pot chamber outside of the spinning pot, thehumidity of said atmosphere being maintained sufllciently high to holdthe salts in solution.

10. Improvements in processes of spinning rayon thread consisting incentrifugally collecting the thread in a perforated spinning potrotating in an enclosing chamber spaced from the pot, and subjecting theliquid coming from the spinning pot to the action of a salt-dissolvingsolution in the space between the pot and the chamber wall.

11. Improvements in processes of spinning rayon thread consisting incentrifugally collecting the thread in a perforated spinning potrotating in a chamber enclosing and spaced from the pot and projecting awater spray against the inner surface of the wall of said chamber.

12. Apparatusfor spinning rayon thread comprising perforatedthread-collecting means, a chamber enclosing and spaced from said means,and means for vaporizing liquid in the space between said collectingmeans and said chamber.

13. Improvements in processes of spinning rayon thread consisting incentrifugally collecting the thread in a spinning pot rotating in anenclosed chamber spaced from the pot, and projecting a salt dissolvingmedium into the space between the pot and the chamber wall.

14. Apparatus for collecting fllaments of artiflcial origin comprisingthread collecting means, means for rotating said thread collectingmeans, a chamber surrounding said thread collecting means and means forprojecting a liquid within said chamber outside of said threadcollecting means.

15. Apparatus for collecting filaments of artificial origin comprisingcentrifugal thread-collecting means, means for rotating the same, and

. means for subjecting non-collecting surfaces of

